ALDWINIANS 29 LIVERPOOL ST HELENS 40

Liverpool St Helens restored some pride to their end of season form with a battling M J Worsley semi-final cup win, when coming from behind to see off Aldwinians. A fiery encounter saw the home side playing with 14 men after 27 minutes following a red card, with numbers levelled out later, when Darren Wilson and Dave Cunliffe both had a spell in the sin bin.

It was though, a gripping game with both sides giving their all in front of a passionate home crowd.

After an even start LSH went in front in the 14th minute when Connor Thompson cleverly peeled off an LSH drive to go one way whilst everyone else went the other, to score, converted by Jordan Gibson. 0-7. Aldwinians replied eight minutes later after a poor LSH lineout with a converted try under the posts 7-7. LSH regained the lead when, after a decent backs move, Jordan Gibson held off a determined defensive effort to stop him by touching down before converting his own try. 7-14.

LSH went into the break in front but with only 13 men on the park, with the aforementioned Wilson and Cunliffe both in the bin. The home side took immediate advantage scoring two tries within five minutes of the restart to lead 19-14 and adding a penalty on the 50 minute mark to go 22-14 in front.

At this point the Moss Lane Faithful held their breath, well aware of the outcome of recent outings. Saturday was different. Saturday was a cup tie and an LSH team with something to prove. And they did.

With their two Generals back on the field they were just too determined and too strong for their opposition and produced four unanswered tries in the next 22 minutes to look forward to a cup-final against league Champions Widnes.  Wilson scored the first of these after good work from Matt Cunliffe and Danny Webster, having another solid game, 22-19, followed by a sprint down the left wing from young Sam Walker, converted by Jamie Morris to edge the Moss Laners ahead. 22-26. A few minutes later, strong pressure on the Aldwinians line brought a try for the industrious Paddy Royle, again converted by Morris, 22-33, before Dave Cunliffe took no prisoners as he demolished the Aldwinians defence to score under the posts to secure the win, converted by Morris, 22-40.

The home side grabbed a consolation try just before the end, 29-40, but this was very much LSH’s day.

  

Team

15  Cunliffe M 14 Johnston 13 Gibson, 12 McClurg 11 Walker 10  Morris 9 Wilson; 1 Gore 2 Bonati 3 Heywood

4 Forster 5 Royle 6 Bate 7 Thompson 8 Webster.; 16 Metcalfe T 17 Houlton 18 Richardson 19 Cunliffe D 20 Hall.